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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317746">Bloom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sondrasue12/pseuds/Sondrasue12'>Sondrasue12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Violence, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Haruno Sakura &amp; Yamanaka Ino Friendship, Mokuton User Haruno Sakura, One-Sided Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Strong Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke &amp; Uzumaki Naruto Friendship, Uzumaki Naruto and Ramen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:35:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29317746</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sondrasue12/pseuds/Sondrasue12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakura Haruno had only ever wanted to be pretty.<br/>Naruto Uzumaki had only ever wanted to be noticed.<br/>Sasuke Uchiha had only ever wanted to kill his brother.<br/>That was, until they went on the Wave mission, and ninja life proved to be a bit more... complicated, then firstly anticipated.</p>
<p>A fix-it to Naruto and (most) of it’s inconsistencies.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura &amp; Hatake Kakashi &amp; Uchiha Sasuke &amp; Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone! This is  to be my first (and likely only) story. I’m a beginner writer who has an annoying tendency to want to ‘fix’ things, for better or for worse. This story is the product of many ideas that have been bouncing around inside of my skull for a long time, and only now have I actually gained the courage to post anything relating it. Aside from just a simple ‘fix-it’, I wanted to expand on the aspects of Naruto that never really got that much attiention- such as Team 7 behind the missions, Sakura’s relationship with her parents, and the carefree development of lesser known characters. </p>
<p>But anyway, I hope you all enjoy this, and as always, all comments and feedback are appreciated!</p>
<p>Sondra</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura Haruno groaned, pawing at her hair as the thick strands tickled her nose. What was going on? She never woke up this early. The sun was rising slowly outside her window, the orange light gently illuminating the figure beside her bed.</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait, what?</em>
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<p>Still half asleep, Sakura tumbled out of her bed with a shriek, her clawing fingers desperately grasping for a weapon, a kuni, anything-</p>
<p>Feet entered her line of vision. Sandle-clad feet. <em>Jonin feet.</em>

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<p>Sakura raised her head and met Kakashi’s gaze, unamused and fuming. “Kakashi-Sensei!” She snapped, feeling a familiar surge of benevolent energy rise within her in the form of her ramptent second-personality.</p>
<p>Kakashi closed his book, peering down at her with something almost akin to amusement glinting in his eye. “Maa, Sakura-Chan. You don’t look happy to see me. Is something wrong?”</p>
<p>Sakura clambered back into her bed, red in the face. “You’re in my room!” She glanced at her alarm clock and blinked. “At... 5:00 in the morning?“</p>
<p>Kakashi’s lone eye flicked briefly around her room, taking in the perfectly cleaned mahogany vanity, the used nail polish. That same eye landed on her, and she glared at him irritably, trying to breathe past the pounding of her heart as it beat against her rib cage. <em>What’s his problem?</em>

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<p>They stared at each other for several moments before Kakashi broke out into one of his annoyingly-cheerful eye smiles. “Hmm... I must have forgotten. We have training today, Sakura-Chan. Didn’t you know?”</p>
<p>Sakura growled, squeezing the sheets so tightly she could’ve sworn she heard a creak of protest come from her white knuckles. “No. I  didn’t know. In fact, I think you must have <em>forgotten</em> to tell me.”</p>
<p>“Training begins at 6. Don’t be late.” There was a puff of smoke, and then he was gone, almost as if he’d never been there in the first place.</p>
<p>The Genin sighed and climbed out of her warm, inviting bed.</p>
<p>She was never late.</p>
<p>—x—</p>
<p>Sakura huffed angrily. She was <em>late.</em>

</p>
<p>But, this time, she had good reason. Her hair- her pink, always frizzy, never quite long enough hair- was a mess, and she couldn’t just walk out onto the streets like she owned the place if her hair was messy. What would everyone think?</p>
<p>Sakura big her lip hard, ignoring her mother’s cry of protest as her feet slid across polished flooring. “Sorry mom!” She called, not daring to look back lest she lose her balance and fall, even as her feet left the floor in a mad dash for freedom.</p>
<p>People would think she was <em>weird,<em> that’s what they would think. She wasn’t weird. Not in the slightest. But, if she didn’t fix everything, they would do it. They would look at her.</em></em></p>
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<p>People just looked around to much. If there was one conclusion Sakura had come to in her life, that was it.</p>
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<p>Except for Sasuke-kun. He never looked at her. She wasn’t even sure what he was really like, though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know or not.</p>
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<p>Sakura swerved around another civilian and shouted an apology, just barely dodging another as she rounded a corner, panting heavily. She despised running, and the sweat that occupied it made her hate it all the more.</p>
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<p>The sight of Naruto caused her to hesitate, but she called out anyway, instantly regretting her decision as he yelled her name. Loudly.</p>
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<p>She shoved him away with a snarl. <em>Get away!</em> Oh no, if he messed up her <em>hair<em>- Trembling fingers touched pink strands, feeling, assessing.</em></em></p>
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<p>A sigh of relief, shakily released from her lips. <em>Perfect.</em>

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<p>Then, fiery anger rose up within her. Who was he, getting in her face like that? He had <em>no<em> definition of personal space! She clenched her fists. Oh, he was <em>so<em> done for. </em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>“NARUTO!” </p>
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<p>The boy blinked at the advancing girl. Uh oh. He’d screwed up again-</p>
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<p>Sakura reared her fist back, paused, and let it fly with a shout of anger. A clumsy punch, but a punch nonetheless. Naruto’s head rocked back, and the blond stumbled backwards with a surprised yelp, landing on his back in a rather undignified position. Sakura, nearly falling from the momentum, instantly clutched her hand, eyes watering. Her fingers were burning with pain, and she eyed the boy angrily, Inner Sakura fuming from within her. <em>Stupid Naruto! If only he could just-</em>

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<p>She took a deep breath, unclenching her hand. There was no use dwelling on that now. Naruto was an idiot, and that would ever change. But Sasuke-kun, on the other hand... <em>he<em> would always be cute. <em>He<em> wasn’t stupid. He was always consistent and on time.</em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>Unlike a certain Sensei, who <em>still<em> wasn’t here. He was <em>always<em> late. She could be cleaning up now! Instead, she was stuck in this place. Sakura shook her fist out, grumbling. This was stupid. Maybe she should just go home. Hanging out in an empty clearing with Naruto wasn’t doing her any favors.</em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>The sight of her crush, strolling towards them, made her straighten. <em>Posture, Sakura. Posture.</em>

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<p>On second thought, maybe she <em>could<em> stay a just a <em>little<em> longer.</em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>She should’ve just gone home. All Sasuke-kun and Naruto were doing was that dumb tree exercise. She’d mastered that <em>ages<em> ago. Sauske-kun wasn’t even looking at her! Her hair was perfect today too. Or, at least she’d thought it was.</em></em></p>
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<p>She sat down with a huff, wrapping her arms around her knees. Sometimes, it felt like she was never going to catch up to them. She’d done the tree exercise, over and over, until her legs ached and her lungs burned and she was covered in sweat. And yet, they ran up and down the tree, into the night, long after she’d been done. Why did it have to be so easy for them? They liked physical training, but she despised it. What made it so fun? She didn’t get it. </p>
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<p>She fingered her hair, staring at the pink strands hatefully.</p>
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<p>“Maa, Sakura-Chan. Why the long face?”</p>
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<p>She jumped, scrambling to her feet, her sweaty hair sticking to her face. Her Sensei was crouched in a tree, book clutched in one hand, staring down at her with a tilted head and a single, expressionless eye. </p>
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<p>Sakura looked down, clenching her fists at her sides. “It’s nothing, Kakashi-sensei.”</p>
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<p>Kakashi blinked once from his perch, closing his book with a snap. There was a rush of wind, and then he appeared before her. “Follow me.” The Jonin took off at a leisurely pace through the trees, and Sakura watched him go for several moments before running to catch up. </p>
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<p>“Where are we going, Sensei?” Sakura asked, her voice breathless. He had never devoted this much of his attention to her before. Why now? What had changed?</p>
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<p>They quickly arrived at a pond, the dark blue water seeming to ripple and shimmer, even though it was still from a lack of currents.</p>
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<p>Confused, Sakura looked at her Sensei. “W-what-“</p>
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<p>“There are many ways to practice chakra control.” He began, and Sakura instantly went silent, knowing he was about to begin a lecture.</p>
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<p>“You’ve already mastered climbing trees, I’m assuming? Your chakra control was phenomenal during our last training session, but you still have a lot to learn, even on that. True chakra control takes many years. Chakra itself can be used in many ways, with practice. Like this, for example.” Kakashi strolled over to the pond, observing it with a critical eye. Then, he took one step forward and walked <em>on the water.</em>

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<p>Sakura closed her mouth with a snap. She’d known about tree climbing, of course, but she didn’t know ninjas could walk on water. What else could they do with their chakra?</p>
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<p>She itched to find out. </p>
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<p>However, she quickly regretted following her Sensei when he instructed her to walk on the water as well. She glanced at him nervously, bracing herself, but only managed to take a few steps before finding herself completely submerged and soaked to the bone.</p>
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<p>She cried out, her teeth chattering. <em>Cold cold cold-<em> the water was freezing! How was it so cold on such a sunny day? As she pushed her curling hair out of her eyes, she took in the amused eye-smile of her Sensei. </em></em></p>
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<p>In the same moment, she nearly overflowed with rage, having spotted the chunks of ice floating innocently in the water, just barely concealed underneath the shade provided from some nearby foliage.</p>
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<p>“S-Sensei!” She shrieked as she stumbled out of the pond, her cheeks burning in a mix of humiliation and anger. Her dress was ruined! Her aunt has spent ages sewing it for her, and her hair... she’d used up hours of her free time straightening it. This was a disaster. She was soaked, cold, her makeup was smeared, she was covered in mud... she looked awful. What would Sasuke think when he saw her like... like...</p>
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                                        <em>You need to go straighten it. It looks frizzy, and we don’t want that. Boys notice that kind of stuff, honey.</em>
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<p>Sakura grabbed her hair, staring mournfully at the soaked locks. Her mother would be so disappointed.</p>
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<p>“Sakura.”</p>
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<p>She swallowed, refusing to meet his gaze. She knew what look would be there. She knew exactly what he was going to say. He was going to say that she was ugly, a failure, a <em>disappointment-</em>

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<p>“Concentrate your chakra to the entirety of your feet this time, not just your soles. Try again.”</p>
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                                        <em>Try again.</em>
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<p>That was... that was it? Just... try again? She blinked rapidly and dared to look up. His eye was dark as ever, but there was something in there that was... well, it was different. It wasn’t the look her mother gave her when she failed. It wasn’t apologetic, like her father’s eyes always were.</p>
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<p>It was... like she’d done something <em>right?<em> By <em>failing?<em> But how? </em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>“Y-you want me to go again? But- but I...”</p>
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<p>Kakashi closed his book, staring at her seriously. “Sakura. Let me ask you a question.”</p>
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<p>“Oh, um... okay.”</p>
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<p>“Why did you become a ninja?”</p>
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<p>Sakura blinked again, taken aback. Why would he ask her something like that? “To... help protect the village, of course.” She answered, her mouth forming the words with practiced ease.</p>
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<p>Kakashi didn’t react. Instead, he stared her down, his single eye seeming to pierce her soul. Sakura squirmed underneath his gaze.</p>
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<p>Finally, after several moments, Kakashi stepped back.</p>
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<p>“No, I’m not talking about village’s reasons. I’m talking about the reason <em>you<em> attended the academy.”</em></em></p>
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<p>Sakura averted her eyes, shuffling her feet together. If she had to be honest, his question had caught her off guard. Usually she was really good at answering questions, but now... </p>
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<p>The minutes passed by slowly, one after the other. Kakashi had just pulled out his book when Sakura finally accepted defeat. </p>
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<p>“I... I don’t know.”</p>
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<p>There was no surprise in Kakashi’s eyes, only something that vaguely resembled contemplation.</p>
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<p>“I figured you wouldn’t. Most people your age haven’t figured it out yet.”</p>
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    <em>Most...<em> Sakura only felt more discouraged by this. She didn’t want to be abnormal, but she didn’t want to be a nobody either. “B-but Sensei, I-“</em></em>
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<p>“Think about why you want to become a ninja. I’m confident that you’ll be able to figure it out by the time you master this exercise.”</p>
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<p>Sakura stared at his back in a mix of bewilderment and shame as he walked back the direction he had come from. Lazy Sensei or not, he was right. Why <em>had<em> she joined the academy? She hadn’t been so young that she wouldn’t be able to remember. Sasuke-kun always had a goal in mind. Even <em>Naruto had drive.</em>

</em></em></p>
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<p>So why couldn’t she think of anything?</p>
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<p>A nearby bird squawked, startling Sakura out of her thoughts. The water in front of her rippled, dark and menacing despite the hot sun that beamed down on it. Sakura swallowed back her hesitation, Kakashi’s words ringing through her head.</p>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>Why did you become a ninja?</em>
      </em>
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<p>She didn’t know why she wanted to become a ninja, but if she couldn’t answer such a simple question... she had to at least be better then Ino.</p>
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<p>But... what if she couldn’t? Sakura ground her teeth together as she slowly gathered chakra to her feet. </p>
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<p>Failure to surpass her rival would be a complete and utter disaster.<br/>
—x—<br/>
Sakura was pleased to see that by the end of the day, she had nearly mastered walking on water. She’d even managed to surprise Sasuke-kun, judging by how big his eyes had gotten when she’d demonstrated the technique to her teammates. She hated to admit it, but it almost felt <em>good<em> to be better then him at something. </em></em></p>
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<p>At least now she could get out of the sun. </p>
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<p>Her mother, however, was less than pleased by the state of her dress when she finally got home.</p>
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<p>“Sakura! What on earth- your dress-“

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<p>Sakura sighed, inwardly cringing in annoyance as her mother began to fuss. </p>
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<p>“It’s- it’s not that big of a deal, I was just... doing some training, that’s all.”</p>
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<p>Mebuki tutted. “You’re gonna catch a cold if you keep this up. At least warn us the next time you decide to come in the house all wet. Go up and take a bath before you spread that through the house.”</p>
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<p>“But-“</p>
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<p>“<em>Now,<em> Sakura.”</em></em></p>
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<p>Sakura’s eyebrows furrowed together, her scowl deepening as she stomped up the stairs to the bathroom. Why were her parents always like this? It wasn’t fair. She hadn’t even had a chance to tell her mom about her success before she’d been dismissed.</p>
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<p>But it wasn’t as if her mother would care about her training in the first place.</p>
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<p>As Sakura settled into the tub, another thought began to nag at her, stronger then her anger at her mother.</p>
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<p>Why had she become a ninja in the first place? Well, it certainly hadn’t been because of her parents. They hardly cared about what she did as long as she looked good doing it. Sakura idly stirred the water with a slender finger, thinking hard. Was it because of Sasuke-kun? Well, he was amazing and handsome and smart, but she’d only seen how incredible he was <em>after<em> she’d joined the academy. He wasn’t the <em>reason<em> she had joined.</em></em></em></em></p>
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<p>Naruto? Sakura snorted at the mere thought. Of course she hadn’t joined because of him, though a part of her was puzzled as to why his face had popped up in her thoughts. He was too much of an annoyance to inspire anyone.</p>
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<p>Ino?</p>
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<p>Hmm... well maybe, if she wasn’t so mean. </p>
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<p>Sakura groaned. It seemed she wouldn’t be getting any answers tonight, and she had already been thinking about Kakashi-sensei’s question long after his initial estimate of her answer.</p>
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<p>Which meant her answer was <em>late.</em>

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<p>Well at least there was something to look forward to tomorrow. It was Team 7’s day off, and for Sakura, days off typically meant shopping.</p>
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<p>A <em>lot<em> of shopping.</em></em></p>
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<p>She needed a new outfit anyway.</p>
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